Shirley Zerkel writes to Ohio politicians

To Kevin DeWine, April 2, 2011

Dear Mr. DeWine:

Please don't ask me again to send you money to support YOUR views about SB5. Because of the passage of that bill, I stand to lose as do all of the public workers and their families in this state. If I were young, just out of college, and looking for work, it would not be in Ohio.

Sorry to have been a Republican,
Shirlee Zerkel
CORE member

To Governor Kasich, March 31, 2011

Dear Gov. Kasich:

I will not send you any money so that you can continue to cut my income. I did believe in you at one time, but I do not now believe that you are good for the state of Ohio and ALL of its taxpayers. I am a taxpayer too even though you may not think so. I retired almost 10 years ago with only my public pension from the state of Ohio. I am not entitled to any Social Security because I was a public employee. Your signing of this SB5 will affect in a negative manner every retired public worker and most of us have no other income. Other bills being discussed will further lower the income of both the current and retired public workers of Ohio. Your signing of SB5 will cause many people to lose their jobs before their career is finished. Also if I were a young person just out of college, I certainly would not look for a position in the state of Ohio. It has been said by your administration that public workers make more than those in the private sector but have you really compared apples to apples and considered the amount of education needed for some of the public jobs, the hours given if the employee is dedicated to his/her career, and the danger that some of these public workers are in when they do their jobs? If you would do that I am sure that you would find that public workers should be given a 3.5% wage increase and retirees should not be experiencing loss of benefits. As of my Feb. check, my actual income sent to me is less than it was in 2007.

Shirlee Zerkel
Lima, Ohio